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During the ceremony, it was difficult not to notice the man’s oddities: the ludicrously long power tie; the way he leaned in to kiss his wife and missed her entirely; the jerky, impulsive bro-slap he gave to Mike Pence’s shoulder. During the benediction, the Energy Secretary-designate, Rick Perry, blew chewing-gum bubbles while his eyes were closed in prayer. In time, maybe these tics will simply be part of our visual furniture, in the same way that George W. Bush’s fratty smirk (which reappeared) once was, detached from any real menace. But, for the moment, they feel like clues to matters of greater weight: Trump’s moods and tempers, his grievances, his favorites. It is as if we are watching a king. Today, Melania Trump’s coat was pale blue and Michelle Obama’s was maroon, and that seemed to capture the day: patriotic, yes, but a few shades off.
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During the ceremony, it was difficult not to notice the man’s oddities: the ludicrously long power tie; the way he leaned in to kiss his wife and missed her entirely; the jerky, impulsive bro-slap he gave to Mike Pence’s shoulder. During the benediction, the Energy Secretary-designate, Rick Perry, blew chewing-gum bubbles while his eyes were closed in prayer. In time, maybe these tics will simply be part of our visual furniture, in the same way that George W. Bush’s fratty smirk (which reappeared) once was, detached from any real menace. But, for the moment, they feel like clues to matters of greater weight: Trump’s moods and tempers, his grievances, his favorites. It is as if we are watching a king. Today, Melania Trump’s coat was pale blue and Michelle Obama’s was maroon, and that seemed to capture the day: patriotic, yes, but a few shades off.